Werewolf

Werewolves are humanoids afflicted with a form of lycanthropy that forces or allows them to take on wolf-like forms. In Eberron they are important for their connection to Shifters and the Church of the Silver Flame.

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Werewolves in Eberron are the same as they are in most other campaign worlds, except that they are more scarce, largely due to the efforts of the Church of the Silver Flame, and they can be of any alignment. There are two types of werewolf, just as with any other lycanthrope: the natural and the afflicted. Both natural and afflicted werewolves can pass on the curse of lycanthropy, however, natural werewolves are the children of werewolf parents and are born werewolves. Natural werewolves and afflicted werewolves that are aware of their affliction can assume two different forms. These forms can be assumed at any time, though they feel the urge to change more when in physical danger or during the full moon. These forms consist of a wolf form and a hybrid humanoid/wolf form. Both forms grant them extra forms of attack, better defenses, and elevated ability scores, as well as certain weaknesses, such as an aversion to silver. The curse of lycanthropy can be passed on one of two ways: by attacking a victim when in an alternate form or by procreating with another werewolf.

Shifters are true breeding lycanthropic descendants. As such they count werewolves as one of their ancestors. Otherwise, they have little to do with them. One exception to this is the community of Wolf's Paw in the Eldeen Reaches. This community hides an elderly werewolf in hiding by the name of Thorntuft. A few werewolves might still hunt in places like the Eldeen Reaches and Droaam but most succumbed to the Lycanthropic Purge or disappeared into Lamannia. There are also some stories that suggest a different relationship. A few tribal elders claim that lycanthropes are not the ancestors of shifters, but are shifters, albeit very powerful and usually insane ones. This idea is of course dangerous for the race, especially if it were to catch on with the Church of the Silver Flame.

In 832 YK the Church of the Silver Flame launched an inquisition to exterminate all lycanthropes from Khorvaire. This lasted fifty years and was largely successful. Those that were not killed went into hiding or escaped to Lamannia, where they now thrive outside of the Church's reach. During this crusade, many shifters were also initially killed, however, three years into the conflict they were absolved of any connection to their alleged ancestors. Some, such as the famous Bennin Silverclaw, aided the Church and brought down lycanthropes themselves, probably leading to more than a little distrust in the werewolves of present day Eberron. Though the inquisition is long over, the Church of the Silver Flame still hunts werewolves and other lycanthropes should they catch wind of them, but no where near as actively. Apparently most of the viciousness of the Purge was due to the private motives of the then Keeper of the Flame Jolan Sol. For the most part, the current Church does not support the mindless slaughter of lycanthropes, especially if they are simply afflicted.